day 927: Trade Balance

"I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of fair balance between your present abundance and their need, that that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance."

Each month we can read the report on the national trade balance.  This is the measurement of how much output and exports that we create in comparison to how much we import for consumption. This is measured in U.S. dollars and is a key economic indicator.  I am not an economist and most of this is far above my "pay grade" but I am smart enough to know that it is important to have a balance in this and other areas where countries, organizations and people depend on each other.  When the U.S. imports too much over exporting then the trade balance becomes weighted and it causes power and economic struggles. This is why we want to keep things in "balance".  The same is true in our businesses where we have to keep a balance between what we trade with our partners, suppliers and customers.  Even having one customer that is too large as a percentage of overall revenues can create an unbalanced set of consequences. We can extrapolate the words of trade balance into many situations in our businesses and quickly identify where the balance is skewed.  We would be wise to look at these and correct them so that balance can be restored, or achieved for the first time.

Finding a "trade balance" in our own work lives is also important.  Consider if we are giving as much to others as we are asking?  Also consider are we ensuring that our abundance is being put to the right purposes so that we are helping those in need?  Too many times, I think, we rush to think about our monetary balances and then become protective of our "wealth".  But, we as believers, can and should think bigger than that.  Our abundance of time, or our abundance of strength, or our abundance of patience, or any of the fruits of the Spirit are all ours, not to hoard, but to share and spread to others. If we are willing to open our eyes and hearts to see the imbalances among us we can be the ones to step forward and be a testimony of Christ by leading the way back to balance.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 8:13-14

day 479: Balancing Game

Much of how we think about our work,what we do, and why we do it has to do with a balancing game. There is the continual question of what is the balance between work and personal life or what we call "Work-life balance". There is the balance choice daily that we each make against the time and energy we put into a project or an assignment. There is the balance of what are we willing to give up to make more money and then how much is enough versus the other priorities in our lives. It is a large balancing game and it is really hard to know what the right balance should be. What we do know is when things are out of balance that is painfully obvious and usually it starts with being obvious to someone else first and ourselves last, but regardless if we are out of balance long enough, it catches up and it becomes obvious to everyone. Much of our imbalance may come from not having a good understanding or realization about the difference between our needs and our wants. If we could only learn to work and live to our needs then balance would come more easily. But, if we are always working and living beyond our needs and trying to satisfy all of our wants, then the balancing scales can easily tip in the wrong direction. Paul and Timothy shed light on this subject in their letter to the church at Philippi; "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little". Paul and Timothy were talking about learning how to win the balancing game. The secret lies in knowing how to get along happily, regardless. As you think about how you are doing in the balancing game, factor in not your wants, but instead your needs and then find a place where happiness can occur first and foremost. After that, you may find that it becomes much clearer on how to find the balance that is right for you.

Reference: Philippians 4:11 (New Living Testament)